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Friday, July 29, 2016

The Smaller Evil by Stephanie KuehnPublication Date: August 2nd, 2016Blurb: Sometimes the greater good requires the smaller evil.17-year-old Arman Dukoff is struggling with severe anxiety and a history of self-loathing when he arrives at an expensive self-help retreat in the remote hills of Big Sur. He’s taken a huge risk—and two-thousand dollars from his meth-head stepfather—for a chance to "evolve," as Beau, the retreat leader, says.

Beau is complicated. A father figure? A cult leader? A con man? Arman's not sure, but more than anyone he's ever met, Beau makes Arman feel something other than what he usually feels—worthless.

The retreat compound is secluded in coastal California mountains among towering redwoods, and when the iron gates close behind him, Arman believes for a moment that he can get better. But the program is a blur of jargon, bizarre rituals, and incomprehensible encounters with a beautiful girl. Arman is certain he's failing everything. But Beau disagrees; he thinks Arman has a bright future—though he never says at what.

And then, in an instant Arman can't believe or totally recall, Beau is gone. Suicide? Or murder? Arman was the only witness and now the compound is getting tense. And maybe dangerous.

As the mysteries and paradoxes multiply and the hints become accusations, Arman must rely on the person he's always trusted the least: himself.

Thursday, July 28, 2016

I am a sucker for thought-provoking, life changing books that alter your perspective and make you cry, the books that leave you in a state of utter messiness after reading. I gulped down the monstrous 584 pages of The Book Thief in a measly two and a half hours.

You know what else I am a sucker for?

Contemporary. Romance.

I’ve seen Austenland more than two dozen times (if you’ve been following this blog, you know that I love Austenland, so I’ll get over it.) I swoon in Win A Date With Tad Hamilton and laugh in She’s The Man.

I love those cheesy, predictable, adorable plot lines more than anything in the world. And although I have seen every Marvel movie ever, I also won’t hesitate to slap down my money to buy a ticket for the newest rom com.

Another thing you probably know about me? My favorite book of all time is The Distance Between Us. You’d know just by looking at it. I treat my books like they’re made of glass- none of them have bent covers or smudged pages. They look like they are brand-new. But, The Distance Between Us is worn out. Not because I wasn’t careful with it, but because I’ve read it so much. So so much. At least once a week. It pulls me out of a sour mood faster than anything else.

As a result, I have purchased every Kasie West book that has come out since. They are all adorable, but none of them have come even close to The Distance Between Us.

Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Adelina Amouteru is a survivor of the blood fever. A decade ago, the deadly illness swept through her nation. Most of the infected perished, while many of the children who survived were left with strange markings. Adelina’s black hair turned silver, her lashes went pale, and now she has only a jagged scar where her left eye once was. Her cruel father believes she is a malfetto, an abomination, ruining their family’s good name and standing in the way of their fortune. But some of the fever’s survivors are rumored to possess more than just scars—they are believed to have mysterious and powerful gifts, and though their identities remain secret, they have come to be called the Young Elites.

Teren Santoro works for the king. As Leader of the Inquisition Axis, it is his job to seek out the Young Elites, to destroy them before they destroy the nation. He believes the Young Elites to be dangerous and vengeful, but it’s Teren who may possess the darkest secret of all.

Enzo Valenciano is a member of the Dagger Society. This secret sect of Young Elites seeks out others like them before the Inquisition Axis can. But when the Daggers find Adelina, they discover someone with powers like they’ve never seen.

Adelina wants to believe Enzo is on her side, and that Teren is the true enemy. But the lives of these three will collide in unexpected ways, as each fights a very different and personal battle. But of one thing they are all certain: Adelina has abilities that shouldn’t belong in this world. A vengeful blackness in her heart. And a desire to destroy all who dare to cross her.

It is my turn to use. My turn to hurt.

My Thoughts:

I was so excited for this book because I absolutely loved Marie Lu's Legend series. However, actually getting around to reading it proved to be difficult. I read halfway through it three times before I finally finished.

That doesn't mean the book was bad, it just means I was distracted. In fact, this book was very good. It's like eating chocolate; once you start, you can't stop.

I think the fascinating thing about this book is that it's written from the point of view of the villain. I don't think I've ever read a book like that before, and Lu did it wonderfully. I loved Adelina but at the same time I hated her so much.

This book was so addicting simply because it was so interesting. As I'm sure you could tell by the blurb, the plot is full of strange powers, caused by a deadly plague that killed several people and changed several more, marking them as malfettos. Adelina has silver hair and is missing an eye (although that was not technically a Marking.) The characters are dark, mysterious, and very flawed. However, their intentions are good: to overthrow the Inquisition that burns innocent malfettos at the stake.

Once you start reading this, I guarantee you will not be able to put it down. The language is written beautifully, the plot turns and twists more than a roller coaster ride, and the characters are unique and unpredictable. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves fiction.

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About Me

Hi! Welcome to my blog about books. I love books so much, there will be a new one to introduce to you every day! I usually only read Young Adult fiction, but I am okay with requests so comment on the Book Reviews page if you want to see one. Have fun looking around my blog!